origin of the CSIO in the 1970s?

[geoffrey]

I understand that Tegel Manor was part of Bob Bledsaw's pre-Wilderlands, Middle-earth campaign. What about the City State of the Invincible Overlord? Was that city originally set in Bob's Middle-earth (and only later put in the Wilderlands), or was it a Wilderlands city from the first?

[Maed Makistikator]

Geoffrey -

No, the CSIO as a whole was conceived to be a first, real, major product on it's own. Bob's original campaign was set in his modified-Tolkien Wilderness world. In the north, near Tolkien's Weathertop, he had a magic door, which lead (or teleported) the party into the JG Wilderlands, so that his campaign could continue from there. Tegel Manor was based on the great Roman manors, but became a huge complex in the end. Just the dimensions of Tegel put it on a Disneyland scale.